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Free NEAR RPC (NEAR)

Explore NEAR, a blockchain platform built for fast and low-cost transactions. Build user-friendly decentralized applications using its RPC gateway.

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Gateway

Connect to NEAR

Access reliable, enterprise-grade endpoints that power your dApp with ultra-low latency and 99.9% uptime.

Connect to NEAR Gateway

Make your first RPC call on NEAR's Blockchain Gateway.

Mainnet

Mainnet
Mainnet Explorer
JSON-RPC
https://near-mainnet.gateway.tatum.io

Testnet

Testnet
Testnet Explorer
JSON-RPC
https://near-testnet.gateway.tatum.io

* Rate limit enabled - perfect for testing and development. For production, we recommend to Upgrade.

Ready for production?

Get 200 requests/second, priority support and advanced blockchain features.

Global Load Balancer

Route to nearest node

Batch RPC Calls

Multiple requests at once

Archive Nodes

Historical blockchain data

Debug & Trace

Advanced debugging

Advanced Analytics

Usage & performance

Bring Your Own RPC

Custom RPC gateways

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Get Free API Key

Increase your limit and access all network features in Tatum Development Platform.

Smart Contract Tools on NEAR

Deploy, create, and interact with smart contracts on NEAR.

Accessible to Everyone

No signup. No paywalls. Just RPC that works. Great ideas come from everywhere.

Our Mission

With love by Tatum

Method reference

NEAR methods

Every method the NEAR gateway accepts, grouped by interface. 14 in total, read live from the node rather than kept by hand.

Mainnet is the live NEAR network. Every transaction it accepts is final, and every NEAR balance it reports is real money.

Testnet answers the same methods on a network funded with tokens that have no market value. Develop there, then change the URL to Mainnet when the code is stable. Nothing else about your integration has to change.

Everything below is served over JSON-RPC. Its endpoint differs per network, and all of them are in the gateway list above.

What sits between you and NEAR

A node is a machine running NEAR with a copy of the chain. Your code cannot ask the chain directly, it asks a node. The gateway picks a healthy one for every call, so you point at one URL instead of one machine.

  • One URL, nothing to run or keep patched yourself.
  • Calls routed to a node that is up and in sync.
  • A failing node is skipped rather than returned to you as an error.

JSON-RPC

14 methods
https://near-mainnet.gateway.tatum.io

The default. Every wallet, library and framework speaks it, and it is what you want unless you specifically need something else.

One POST carries a method name, its parameters and an id, and the response comes back on the same connection carrying that same id. Requests are independent, so there is no session to keep alive and nothing to reconnect, which is why it runs unchanged behind a load balancer or inside a serverless function. Send an array instead of a single object and the node works through the whole batch in one round trip.

Where it fits

  • Anything your library already does for you. ethers, web3.js, viem and their equivalents all target this.
  • Batching reads. One array of twenty calls costs one round trip instead of twenty.
  • Stateless and serverless deployments, because nothing has to stay connected between calls.
  • Historical queries, by passing a block number where you would otherwise pass latest.

Trade-offs

  • It cannot push. Finding out that a block landed means polling for it, or moving to WebSocket.
  • Wide log queries get refused. Page through in fixed block windows and merge the results yourself.
  • Batch responses may come back in any order. Match them on id, never on position.

Enabled and tested methods

Read live from the endpoint, so this is what it actually serves today rather than what the protocol allows in principle. Anything not on this list returns a method-not-found error.

block
Returns a block by height or hash.
chunk
Returns a chunk, which is the shard-level unit a NEAR block is built from.
EXPERIMENTAL_changes
Returns state changes matching a filter. Experimental and subject to change.
EXPERIMENTAL_changes_in_block
Returns every state change in a block. Experimental and subject to change.
EXPERIMENTAL_genesis_config
Returns the genesis configuration. Experimental and subject to change.
EXPERIMENTAL_protocol_config
Returns the protocol configuration at a block. Experimental and subject to change.
EXPERIMENTAL_receipt
Returns a receipt by its ID. Experimental and subject to change.
EXPERIMENTAL_tx_status
Returns detailed transaction status including receipts. Experimental and subject to change.
gas_price
Returns the gas price at a given block.
network_info
Returns information about connected peers and the network.
query
Reads account, access key, contract code or contract state.
send_tx
Submits a signed transaction to the network.
status
Returns node status, including sync state and the latest block.
tx
Returns the status of a transaction by hash and sender.

Common JSON-RPC errors

What you are most likely to hit calling this interface, and what to do about it.

-32700
Parse error. The request body was not valid JSON. Check that the body is serialised JSON and that Content-Type is application/json.
-32600
Invalid request. The JSON parsed, but it is not a well-formed JSON-RPC call. Include jsonrpc, method and id fields. A batch must be a non-empty array.
-32601
Method not found. This node does not expose the method you called. Check the spelling and the namespace, and confirm the method is in the list above for this network. Tracing methods in particular are not enabled everywhere.
-32602
Invalid params. The method exists but the arguments are wrong. Check argument order and types. Most EVM methods want hex-encoded quantities, and a block parameter such as latest or a hex height.
-32603
Internal error. The node failed while handling an otherwise valid request. Retry with backoff. If it persists on one method, it is usually that method rather than the node.
-32000
Server error. A catch-all the node uses for execution failures, most often a reverted call or a request over a limit. Read the accompanying message. Execution reverted means your call failed on chain, not in transport. Narrow the block range if you are querying logs.
HTTP 429
Rate limited. You have exceeded the free tier request allowance. Back off and retry, batch reads into single calls, or move to a dedicated endpoint for production traffic.
HTTP 413
Payload too large. The request body exceeded what the node accepts. Split large batches into smaller ones.
Blockchain Data

Indexed NEAR Data Insights

Complete on-chain data access, no infrastructure to run yourself. Query wallets, tokens, NFTs, and transaction history with lightning-fast APIs.

Learn more

About NEAR

What it is, and guides for building on it.

The NEAR RPC documentation provides developers with the necessary tools to interact programmatically with the NEAR blockchain. NEAR is designed for scalability, low fees, and fast transaction finality, making it an ideal platform for decentralized applications (dApps) and financial applications. The documentation includes key API endpoints for querying blockchain data, managing smart contracts, and submitting transactions. NEAR’s architecture ensures efficient development and deployment of scalable dApps with its developer-friendly environment.

From the Tatum blog

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about NEAR RPC endpoints

Quick Answer: What is NEAR RPC?

RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is the standard way to interact with the network programmatically - reading on-chain data, submitting transactions, and deploying smart contracts through JSON-RPC calls. The free tier ships 5 requests per minute with no registration required, which covers most learning and testing workflows. Production applications typically move to Tatum Premium for 200 requests per second and enterprise-grade reliability.

What is NEAR RPC?

RPC (Remote Procedure Call) is the interface that lets developers interact with the network: read on-chain data, submit transactions, and deploy smart contracts programmatically over standard JSON-RPC methods, without running your own node.

How do I connect to NEAR using these RPC endpoints?

Simply copy the RPC endpoint URL from above and configure it in your Web3 library (ethers.js, web3.js), wallet (MetaMask, Trust Wallet), or development tool (Hardhat, Truffle). The endpoint works immediately with no registration required for the free tier.

What are the rate limits for the free RPC tier?

Free tier RPC endpoints are limited to 5 requests per minute. This is perfect for testing and development. For production applications, we recommend upgrading to Tatum Premium which offers 200 requests per second with no daily limits.

When should I upgrade to Premium?

Consider upgrading to Premium when you're moving to production, need higher rate limits (200 req/sec), require 99.9% uptime SLA, want access to archive nodes for historical data, or need advanced features like batch RPC calls, debug/trace methods, and priority support.

Is NEAR RPC free forever?

Yes! Our free tier RPC endpoints are free forever with 5 requests per minute. This tier is perfect for learning, testing, and small projects. There are no hidden fees or time limits on the free tier.

What happens if I exceed the free tier rate limit?

If you exceed 5 requests per minute on the free tier, you'll receive an HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) error. This is a standard rate limiting response. To avoid this, you can upgrade to Tatum Premium which offers 200 requests per second with no daily limits, perfect for production applications.

Can I use these NEAR RPC endpoints with MetaMask?

Yes! You can configure MetaMask to use our RPC endpoints. Simply copy the endpoint URL from above, go to MetaMask Settings > Networks > Add Network (or edit existing), and paste the RPC URL. This works with all EVM-compatible networks, including this one.

Are these RPC endpoints secure?

Yes, all our RPC endpoints use HTTPS encryption and follow enterprise-grade security practices. They're powered by Tatum's infrastructure which maintains 99.9% uptime.

What's the difference between mainnet and testnet RPC endpoints?

Mainnet carries real transactions with real value, so every write is final. Testnet runs on a separate network funded with free test tokens, which makes it the safe place to try new code, retry failed calls, and simulate edge cases. Always validate on testnet before pointing production traffic at mainnet.

How do I troubleshoot RPC connection errors?

If you're experiencing connection errors, check: 1) The RPC endpoint URL is correct, 2) You're not exceeding rate limits (5 req/min for free tier), 3) Your network allows HTTPS connections, 4) The network is currently operational. For persistent issues, check our status page or contact support.

Can I use these endpoints in production?

Free tier endpoints can be used in production for low-traffic applications (under 5 req/min). For production apps with higher traffic, we strongly recommend Tatum Premium for guaranteed uptime, faster rate limits, and enterprise SLA.
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